Ombré Nail Tutorial

Published Jul 09, 2011

Ombré nails are an easy way to spice up your nails without much effort. You literally just dab and go! Beautylish's in-house nail expert, Romee Ham, shows you how to recreate the hot ombré trend on your tips! Don't worry, if your nails are too short to fit this effect, check out our ombré manicure that's specifically designed for short nails.

STEP 1 Base Coat

In broad, even strokes, apply a thin layer of your favorite base coat. Then apply two coats of a light pink or beige polish on each finger. Allow 3-5 minutes of drying time between each coat.

STEP 2 Stippling Time

You can use any color variation on your nails, but we chose to go with a bright, summery gradation of pale pink to coral. Pour a small amount of the lightest polish in your palette (aside from the base shade) on a piece of plastic. Dip the tip of a makeup sponge into the polish and stipple it onto your nails, covering the lower half of your nails (to the tips).

STEP 3 Gradual Color Change

Now pour a small amount of nail polish in a shade darker onto the piece of the plastic. Dip the tip of another corner of your makeup sponge into the polish and starting at the tip of your nail, stipple the polish over the first layer of color, leaving a sliver of the lighter color showing underneath.

STEP 4 Last Color For Ombré Effect

Continue by pour a small amount of the darkest polish shade onto the piece of the plastic. Again, dip the tip of a makeup sponge into the polish and stipple it over the tips of your nails. It should look like your nails are slowly getting darker as you go from the cuticle to the tip.

STEP 5 Add Some Sparkle

After all the layers of polish have dried, apply a sheer, sparkling polish on top to give your nails an extra shine. This step is completely optional—you can cover the entire nail with sparkle, just the tips, or avoid glitter altogether.

STEP 6 Top Coat

Finally, clean up the edges of your nails with nail polish remover and apply a layer of top coat. You can use a fast drying top coat or use instant drying drops to speed up the drying process. Voilà, you have trendy ombré nails that ensure your tips will be dazzling all summer long!